Means for detecting defects in cigarette assemblies



p 3 1958 L. E. BERGMAN 2,854,538

MEANS FOR DETECTING DEFECTS IN CIGARETTE ASSEMBLIES Filed May 9, 1955MEANS FOR DETEQTING DEFECTS 1N CIGARETTE ASSEMBLIES Lars E. Bergman,Djursholm, Sweden, assignor to Arenco Alktiebolag, Stockholm, Sweden, aSwedish joint-stock company Application May 9, 1955, Serial No. 506,988

Claims priority, application Sweden May 24, 1954 tllainis. (Cl.200--61.41)

This invention relates to means for detecting defects in assemblies ofcigarettes to be wrapped in cigarette packaging machines and it is anobject of the'invention to provide improved means for such purpose bydetecting defects in or lack of any cigarette in each assembly toactuate an electrically operable control device whereby an alarm, orassembly discarding or removing device will be operated.

Another object of the invention consists in the reduction of the inertiaof certain movable feeler members of said detecting means whereby injuryof the delicate cigarettes will be obviated.

Still another object of the invention consists in the provision ofelectrically conductive means for said purpose operating unaffected ofuncontrolled electric resistances in sliding guide surfaces for saidfeeler members.

A further object of the invention consists in the utilization of feelercontrol springs as electric conductors to simplify the construction andreduce the costs of manuf-acture of the detecting apparatus.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned, in view, theinvention consists in certain constructions and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and set forth in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational sectional view of an apparatus embodying theinvention; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a feeler member andits associated helical spring.

Referring to Figure l of the drawing, showing one feeler pin 1 only inthe apparatus assumed to comprise twenty feeler pins and associatedmembers, said pins, consisting of a light dielectric, that iselectrically nonconductive material, for example plastic material, areslidably mounted in bores 9 in a box- 2 consisting of dielectricmaterial. and forming part of a cigarette packaging machine. Each pin 1is enclosed by a tapered helical compression spring 3 of steel oranother metal. The smaller end So of the spring 3 is screwed onathreaded portion 80 of the pin 1 and it has an annular flange 4consisting of one or several convolutions. At its butt end the spring 3rests against a metal plate 5 which is secured to the inside of the rearWall of the box 2 and has a boss projecting into said end of the spring.

The box 2 is mounted on a base plate 20 upon which it is displaceable inthe longitudinal direction of the pins 1 and it is connected by a link 6to an eccentric pin 8 on a disc 7 which is secured to a continuouslyrotating drive shaft 11 mounted in a bearing bracket 12 secured to thebase plate 20.

Assemblies, for example open ended packages, containing in the assumedcase twenty cigarettes, are introduced into metal pockets 13 in aconveyor advancing stepwise on the plate 20 to move said pocketssuccessively transversely to the longitudinal directions of the pins 1into a position right in front of the box 2 with the open ends exposedto the pins.

nited States Patent 0 Patented Sept. 30, 1958 Secured to the inside ofthe front wall of the box 2 is a metal plate 19 which is electricallyconnected to'a contact pin 14 positioned opposite to another contact pin15 secured to a stationary metal contact rail 16 engaging the metalpockets 13 passing below same. The

metal plate Sand contact pin 15 are interconnected by an electricconductor includinga source of current 17 and an incandescent lamp 18.

When the box 2 is in its rearposition (to the .left in Figure 1) theflanges 4 of all the springs .3 are in engagement with the metal plate19 but the contact between the pins 14 and .15 is broken. When the box 2with its feeler pins 1 is advanced, that is moved to the right in Figure1, towards the pocket 13 the pins 1 will abut the-ends of the oppositelydisposed cigarettes C in the assembly or openended-cigarette package insaid pocket. Thereby the pins 1 will be arrested so that the flanges 4of the springs 3' aremoved-out of contact'with the metal plate 19.whereby the circuit including the lamp '18 remains open when the pin 14contacts the pin 15.

But if any cigarettein the assembly, or package,-is missing or is sosoft that feeler pin 1 which is located: right opposite to saiddefective cigarette, or to the gap where a cigarette is missing, willcontinue forwardly together with the box 2 so that the contact betweenthe flange'4 and the metal plate 19 will remain closed. If r thecigarette C is too short, as indicated in a dash andTdot line in Figure1, it cannot arrest the oppositely'disposed advancing pin l-but theflange 4 will remainin contact with the plate 19 when: the pins314- and.15 abut each other. In such case the lamp 18-Will-be lighted toindicate, that the package is defectiveandis to be removed from thecorrectpackages. The lamp. 18 may be replaced by another control device,for example-abell or an electrically operated device forremovingtherdefectivepackages automatically.

For the purpose of reducing {the stockof spare parts for rebuilding theapparatus t0? accommodate to variously sized packages it might:be'usufiicient 'to change the distance between the pins as well as theirrelative positions by exchanging that portion. of the-box 2 which hasthe bores9 whereby the center lines of the-pins 1 and their associatedsprings 2 might; be slightly ofi set relative to each other.

I claim:

1. In detecting meansfor usein cigarette assembling and packagingapparatus, saididetecting means comprising a pocket receiving anassembly of cigarettes, a pin carrier, a plurality of feeler pinsslidably mounted .in said carrier and consisting of an electricallynon-conductive material and corresponding in number to the, intendednumber of cigarettes in the assembly thereof in said pocket, eachpinbeing provided withan'abutment, a helical electro-conductive metalspring encompassing each feeler pin and each having a, front,endengaging said abutment of one of said pins, respectively, saidcarrier having rear and front electro-conductive metal abutmentsupporting the rear and front ends of said springs respectively, meansfor periodically relatively moving said casing and said pocket towardseach other, each of said springs being sufficiently soft, that when itscorresponding pin yields by engaging a cigarette in said pocket, as tobe compressed by said pin to make its front end yield away from saidfront electro-conductive abutment, and

electrical contact means on said pocket and said carrier respectively,relatively located to engage each other when moved toward each other.

2. In detecting means for use in cigarette assembling and packagingapparatus, said detecting means comprising a pocket receiving anassembly of cigarettes, a pin carrier, a plurality of feeler pinsslidably mounted in said carrier and consisting of an electricallynon-conductive material and corresponding in number to the intendednumber of cigarettes in the assembly thereof in said pocket and eachsaid pin having a freely projecting end for abutting a cigarette in saidpocket, each of said pins having spring engaging means, a helicalelectro-conductive metal spring encompassing each feeler pin and eachhaving a front end portion engaging with said spring engaging means ofone of said pins, respectively, said carrier having a rearelectro-conductive metal abutment supporting the rear ends of saidsprings and a front electroconductive metal abutment engaged by thefront end of each spring, means slidably guiding said pins and locatedbetween said front abutment and said freely projecting ends of saidpins, means for periodically and relatively moving said pin carrier andsaid pocket toward each other, said springs being sufliciently soft,that, when its corresponding pin yields by engaging a cigarette in saidpocket as to be'compressed by said pin to make its front end yield awayfrom said front abutment and thereby to prevent the establishment ofe'lectro-conductive contact between said respective springs and saidfront metal abutment of said carrier, and electrical contact means onsaid pocket and said carrier respectively, relatively located to engageeach other when moved to ward each other.

3. In detecting means for use in cigarette assembling and packagingapparatus, said detecting means comprising a pocket receiving anassembly of cigarettes, a carrier, a plurality of feeler pins slidablymounted in said carrier and consisting of an electrically non-conductivelight-weight material and corresponding in number to the intended numberof cigarettes in the assembly thereof in said pocket, and said pins eachhaving an end portion projecting freely from said carrier for abutting acigarette in said pocket, a tapered helical metal spring enclosing eachfeeler pin and having a narrowed front end fixedly engaging one of saidpins, respectively, and a rear butt end, said carrier having a rearelectro-conductive metal abutment engaging said butt ends of saidsprings and a front electro-conductive metal abutment for engaging thefront end of each said spring, said carrier having means slidablyguiding said pins and located only between said front electro-conductiveabutment and said freely projecting ends of said pins, means forperiodically and relatively moving said pin carrier and said pockettowards each other, said springs being sufficiently soft, that, when apin yields by engaging a cigarette in said pocket, as to be compressedby said pin to make its front end stay away from said frontelectro-conductive abutment and thereby to prevent the establishment ofa closed circuit through said spring, and electrical contact means onsaid pocket and said carrier respectively, relatively located to engageeach other when moved toward each other.

4. In detecting means for use in cigarette assembling and packagingapparatus, said detecting means comprising a pocket receiving anassembly of cigarettes, a detecting pin carrier, a plurality of feelerpins slidably mounted in said carrier and consisting of an electricallynon-conductive material and the number of said pins corresponding to theintended number of cigarettes in the assembly thereof in said pocket,each said pin having an end freely projecting from said carrier forabutting a cigarette in said pocket, a tapered helical metal springenclosing each feeler pin and having a narrowed front end portionscrewed to its said pin, respectively, and having a rear butt end, saidcarrier havig a rear electroconductive metal abutment supporting saidbutt ends of said springs and a front electro-conductive metal abutmentfor supporting the front end of each said spring, said carrier havingmeans slidably guiding said pins, said means being located only betweensaid front abutment and said freely projecting ends of said pins, meansfor periodically moving said carrier and said pocket relatively towardseach other, said spring being so soft, that, when a pin yields byengaging a cigarette in said pocket, it is compressed by said pin tomake its front end yield away from said front electro-conductiveabutment, and electrical contact means on said pocket and said carrierrespectively, relatively located to engage each other when moved towardeach other.

5. In detecting means for use in cigarette assembling and packagingapparatus, said detecting means comprising a pocket receiving anassembly of cigarettes, a detection pin carrier, a plurality of feelerpins slidably mounted in said carrier and consisting of an electricallynon-conductive material and corresponding in number to the intendednumber of cigarettes in the assembly thereof in said pocket, and eachsaid pin having an end freely projecting from said carrier for abuttinga cigarette in said pocket, a tapered helical metal spring enclosingeach feeler pin and having a narrowed front end fixedly engaging one ofsaid pins, respectively, and having a rear butt end, said carrier havinga rear metal abutment engagingly supporting said butt ends of saidsprings and a front metal abutment engagingly supporting the front endof each said spring, said carrier having means slidably guiding saidpins and being located only between said front abutment and said freelyprojecting ends of said pins, means for periodically and relativelymoving said pin carrier and said pocket towards each other, said springbeing so soft that when a pin yields by engaging a cigarette in saidpocket, it is compressed by said pin to make its front end yield awayfrom said front electroconductive abutment, said narrowed end of eachsaid spring having a convolution forming an annular flange adapted toform a contact member abutting said front electro-conductive abutment ofsaid carrier, an electrical contact means on said pocket and saidcarrier respectively, relatively located to engage each other when movedtoward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

